Bible League: Living His Word Because you have made the LORD your dwelling place--the Most High, who is my refuge-- no evil shall be allowed to befall you, no plague come near your tent. How should we deal with the promises of God? Should we believe them, claim them, and pray in faith for their fulfillment in our lives? Or should we shrink back from them, ignore them, or say they are limited to the future age? After all, the promises of God are pretty incredible. Our verse for today is a case in point: "no evil shall be allowed to befall you." Wasn't it Jesus himself who said that in the world you will have tribulation (John 16:33) and persecution (Matthew 10:16-25)? Wasn't it the Apostle Paul who said that everyone who wants to live a Godly life will suffer persecution (II Timothy 3:12)? Although Jesus said we would have trouble and persecution, He also said what we should do when we encounter the mountains of life. We should say to them: "Be taken up and thrown into the sea" (Mark 11:23) and He also said that when we ask for something in prayer we should "believe that you have received it, and it will be yours" (Mark 11:24). When the Apostle Peter was imprisoned the church didn't simply accept it because Jesus said such things would happen, they prayed for his release---and God sent an angel to set him free (Acts 12:1-19). Although the Bible acknowledges the reality of mountains, it also encourages us to confront them with faith. Christians are faith warriors. Paul himself said as much when he said we should "take up the shield of faith" when the evil one throws "flaming darts" at us (Ephesians 6:16). The seasoned Christian warrior knows that faith in God's promises can move mountains. Even when we do not yet see the full realization of the promises and even when we do not yet see victory in every battle, we must stand in faith on the great and mighty promises of God. Today, then, let us stand in faith on the promise of Psalm 91. Let us make the Lord our dwelling place and take refuge in Him. Let us believe in faith that no evil will befall us and no plague will come near us. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingDeuteronomy 31, 32 Deuteronomy 31 -- Moses Encourages the People; Joshua Is Commissioned NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Deuteronomy 32 -- The Song of Moses NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 1:1-23 Luke 1 -- Introduction; John's and Jesus' Birth Foretold; Mary's Song; Zachariah's Prophecy NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion I love the LORD because he hears my voiceand my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Insight God is so responsive that you can always reach him. He bends down and listens to your voice. This writer's love for the Lord had grown because he had experienced answers to his prayers. Challenge If you are discouraged, remember that God is near, listening carefully to every prayer and answering each prayer in order to give you his best. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Galatians 3:26 Ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.The fatherhood of God is common to all his children. Ah! Little-faith, you have often said, "Oh that I had the courage of Great-heart, that I could wield his sword and be as valiant as he! But, alas, I stumble at every straw, and a shadow makes me afraid." List thee, Little-faith. Great-heart is God's child, and you are God's child too; and Great-heart is not one whit more God's child than you are. Peter and Paul, the highly-favored apostles, were of the family of the Most High; and so are you also; the weak Christian is as much a child of God as the strong one. "This cov'nant stands secure, Though earth's old pillars bow; The strong, the feeble, and the weak, Are one in Jesus now." All the names are in the same family register. One may have more grace than another, but God our heavenly Father has the same tender heart towards all. One may do more mighty works, and may bring more glory to his Father, but he whose name is the least in the kingdom of heaven is as much the child of God as he who stands among the King's mighty men. Let this cheer and comfort us, when we draw near to God and say, "Our Father." Yet, while we are comforted by knowing this, let us not rest contented with weak faith, but ask, like the Apostles, to have it increased. However feeble our faith may be, if it be real faith in Christ, we shall reach heaven at last, but we shall not honor our Master much on our pilgrimage, neither shall we abound in joy and peace. If then you would live to Christ's glory, and be happy in his service, seek to be filled with the spirit of adoption more and more completely, till perfect love shall cast out fear. Daily Light on the Daily Path Isaiah 38:14 "Like a swallow, like a crane, so I twitter; I moan like a dove; My eyes look wistfully to the heights; O Lord, I am oppressed, be my security.Psalm 6:2-4 Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am pining away; Heal me, O LORD, for my bones are dismayed. • And my soul is greatly dismayed; But You, O LORD-- how long? • Return, O LORD, rescue my soul; Save me because of Your lovingkindness. Psalm 55:4-6 My heart is in anguish within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me. • Fear and trembling come upon me, And horror has overwhelmed me. • I said, "Oh, that I had wings like a dove! I would fly away and be at rest. Hebrews 10:36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God, you may receive what was promised. Acts 1:10,11 And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. • They also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven." Philippians 3:20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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